Lionel Messi’s evening came to an early end in the Copa America final when he left the field emotionally in the 64th minute due to an apparent leg injury on Sunday night. Cameras later showed him on the bench with a severely swollen right ankle.
The 37-year-old seemed to sustain the injury without contact while running on the field as Argentina secured their record 16th Copa America title with a 1-0 victory over Colombia.
Messi immediately glanced towards the Argentina bench as he fell to the ground. He remained down for several minutes while trainers attended to him. After being helped to his feet, he quickly removed his right shoe.
As he exited the field, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner removed his captain’s armband and threw his shoe in frustration. He was visibly emotional, covering his face and sobbing while seated on the bench.
Despite appearing to limp after the match, Messi seemed to be in good spirits. He applauded, laughed, and joined teammates Nicolás Ottamendi and Ángel Di María in lifting the trophy.
“We were able to win for him,” Di María said, “to give him joy.”
In what could be his 39th and final Copa America appearance, Messi scored one goal in the tournament. He had earlier suffered a leg injury and discomfort, which had troubled him through much of the competition, causing him to miss Argentina’s final group stage match. Messi attempted one shot in the first half on Sunday.
